Wheat Rava Biryani

Wheat rava biryani is very authentic to our own place. A festive food you could say, very flavorful, rich, and a most welcome dish. Most or all wedding meals begin with this as the breakfast. In most gatherings or functions, wheat rava biryani is the non-vegetarian version of breakfast served with fried chicken, banana, and hot tea on the side.

This biryani can be served as breakfast or dinner. Making it for lunch is your choice.

The rava used is mostly a fine variety of white or brown wheat. 

INGREDIENTS:

11/2 lb Goat meat

21/2 Cups wheat  rava

5 Cups water

3 Tblsp oil

2+1Tblsp ghee

1 Bay leaf

2" Cinnamon stick 

4 Cardamoms 

4 Cloves

2 Big onions

2 Medium tomatoes 

4 Green chilies slit

2 Tblsp ginger garlic paste 

1 Tblsp curry powder 

1 Tsp red chili powder

1 Tsp garam masala powder

1/2 Cup chopped coriander leaves

20 Nos mint leaves

2 Tblsp lemon juice 

Few drops pineapple essence (optional)

Salt to taste

Garnish:

1 Tblsp ghee

10 Cashews broken

2 Tsp raisins 

METHOD:

  Chop onions and tomatoes lengthwise. Slit green chilies.

Clean the meat and cut into medium sized pieces.

Heat a pressure pan/cooker over medium heat. Add the oil and 2 tblsp of ghee into the pan. When it is slightly hot add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Let their flavor infuse the oil, about two minutes. Take care not to burn them.

Then add the chopped onions along with a pinch of salt. The salt helps the onion to wilt quickly and bring out the flavor.

Once it starts to turn slight brown, add slit green chilies and give it a minute. Then add the ginger garlic paste. Mix well and add the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Fry them for few seconds and add tomatoes. Once tomatoes get cooked add the spice powders and mix well. Finally add the meat.

Stir everything together add salt and cover and pressure cook the meat for two whistles, reduce flame to medium low and cook for 10minutes. You can either add a little water to cook the meat or if the meat it fresh the natural fluid will help. Just make sure there isn't much liquid left in the cooked meat. Switch off the stove and wait until the pressure subsides. 

Open the pan and check if the meat is done.

If there is gravy, just strain the liquid and reserve it.

Add the rava to the meat and fry for about 2 minutes. 

If there is any reserved gravy measure it along with water, make it to 5 cups( reduce water quantity) and add to the rava meat mixture, stir together, add lemon juice and the pineapple essence if using, check for salt and bring it to a boil. When the water gets obsorbed you can see bubbles on top, add the remaining ghee at this point, give it a stir, close the lid with the whistle, simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Switch off flame and let the pressure subside.

Fry the cashews and raisins in the ghee.

Once you open the cooker, add the fried cashews and raisins,stir everything together. Serve hot.

P.S: 

 You can also fry the rava separately in ghee and once the meat is cooked you can add water adjusting the quantity according to the amount of gravy left. The water should be double the measure of rava.

Garnish is a must.

I prefer to fry the rava along with the meat so the flavor comes out really well.

Pineapple essence is optional.

I prefer serving with fried chicken as side. 

If you like raita go for it.